Post-harvest technology involves science and techniques applied to agricultural produce after harvest to protect, preserve, process, package, distribute, market, and utilize it to meet nutritional needs. It stimulates agricultural production by preventing post-harvest losses, improving nutrition, adding value to products, opening new marketing opportunities, and generating new jobs. The main objectives of post-harvest technology are to maintain quality, protect food safety, and reduce losses between harvest and consumption. Poor post-harvest handling can result in quality deterioration and losses.

1. Importance & Factors of Post
Harvest Technology in
Horticultural Crops
By
B. Pavan Kumar Naik
Assistant Professor
Department of Horticulture
Pydah Educational Institution

2. POST HARVEST TECHNOLOGY ?
• Post harvest technology is
inter-disciplinary "Science
and Technique" applied to
agricultural produce
after harvest for its
protection, conservation,
processing, packaging,
distribution, marketing, and
utilization to meet the food
and nutritional requirements
of the people in relation to
their needs.

3. POST HARVEST TECHNOLOGY STIMULATES
AGRICULTURAL PRODUCTION BY:
Prevents post harvest losses
Improves nutrition
Adds value to agricultural products
Opens new marketing opportunities
generates new job

4. IMPORTANCE OF POST HARVEST
• Post harvest technology has potential to create
rural industries.
• In India, where 80% of people live in the villages
and 70% depend on agriculture have experienced
that the process of industrialization has shifted
the food, feed and fibre industries to urban areas.
• This process has resulted in capital drain from
rural to urban areas, decreased employment
opportunities in the rural areas.

5. Conti…
• The purpose of post harvest processing is to
maintain or enhance quality of the products and
make it readily marketable.
• Post harvest handling specifically involves the
movement and the operations that commodities
undergo from harvest to the time immediately
before meal preparation.
• Main concern is to keep commodities in an
acceptable state from harvest until it reaches the
consumer since most commodities are
transported in their perishable state.

6. Cont…
• Post harvest handling aims to minimize losses
at the least possible cost.
• The existing postharvest environment requires
appropriate technologies to maintain quality
of commodities.
• Poor handling of agricultural commodities can
result in quality deterioration and losses.

7. • 3 main objectives of applying
postharvest technology to
harvested fruits and
vegetables are:
1) To maintain quality
(appearance, texture, flavor
and nutritive value)
2) To protect food safety and
3) To reduce losses berween
harvest and consumption.

8. Why is the study of postharvest physiology
and technology so important
?

9. • Vegetables and fruits are products are usually
high value (compared to grains) and need to be
handled carefully in order to preserve that value.
• V & F are living commodities and deteriorate in
quality very quickly.
• Lot of money and other resources is invested in
growing the crop.
• V & F are rich source of vit. Minerals, proteins
and medicinal substances – proper care helps
maintain nutritional and pharmacological value.

10. FACTORS AFFECTING FOR POST HARVEST
LOSSES:
A. PRIMARY CAUSE
Mechanical loss to the fruits is caused
by careless handling during harvesting,
packing, transportation, storage etc.
MICROBIAL ACTION – Fruits and
vegetables are more prone to microbial
spoilage caused by fungi, bacteria,
yeast and moulds.
ENVIRONMENTAL FACTORS –
Temperature and humidity is also a
major factor of post harvest loss.

12. B. SECONDARY LOSS CAUSE
• Inadequate harvesting,
transportation, storage and marketing
facilities lead to the conditions
favourable for secondary causes of
loss.
• Inadequate storage facilities at the
producing or marketing centres are
the natural causes of losses i.e. decay
by organisms, respiration,
transpiration and other biochemical
reactions.
• Longer shipment and distribution
period also cause heavy losses.